Mara Bush Camp Review

Mara Bush Camp.......it had been on my list for the last two years and boy, was it worth the wait!!

I finally got to go to the Camp in the Maasai Mara, a seasonal eco-friendly tented camp run by Sunworld Safaris!

Made it there just before lunch and after a very informative greeting and briefing on the camp by the Camp Manager, I was able to have a heavenly hot shower.

After the shower I went exploring around the camp, which is situated right in the bend of the Olare Oruk River which makes for an absolutely lovely setting.

The 10 tents are widely spread around the bend and all have views of the river and opposite river bank. The tents have large comfortable beds; they will welcome you with a hot water bottle at night, flush toilets, sinks & running water. The camp’s own solar panels help power the electric lights in the tent.

After a cold Tusker (Kenyan beer) and a deliciously light lunch, consisting of green salad, fresh steamed vegetables, mashed potatoes and some fruit salad as desert, I was ready to go for a little afternoon game drive.

I didn’t have to go far to see a huge crocodile sunning itself on the riverbank, herds of wildebeest, lions, cheetahs, secretary birds and some vultures.

The afternoon brought a big storm in from the distance that made for some incredible pictures. It was decided to head back to camp just to be on the safe side and not to be caught in it.

After another quick shower and a freshly washed change of clothes (with the help of the camp), I made my way to the bar-lounge tent for an Amarula and on towards the beautifully decorated table for dinner.

At night the camp is lit by little storm candles all over the place and it creates an extraordinary atmosphere. Almost felt like straight 'Out of Africa'!

Dinner was absolutely delightful; again with salad and than a choice of different pasta and fresh, individually prepared sauce right in front of you. Perfect for vegetarians, like myself, as I could pick from all sorts of different vegetables and tomato sauce and leave the meat out. So delicious!! Of course there was also coffee, tea & deserts.

I rolled myself back to my tent that night.

Note: To keep you safe while at the camp, there are staff members that you can call and that are waiting for you after dinner by the main tent to escort you back to your tent. The camp is not fenced so that the wildlife can pass through, as it does occasionally.

Falling into this incredibly comfortable bed and finding the above mentioned hot water-bottle was like a dream come true. I was out like a light and slept like a baby.

Woke up to the hippos having a morning chat in the river, and the local lions roaring across the river! Unbelievable sounds to wake up to; certainly a huge improvement to my usual alarm clock!!

Tea & coffee was promised for the morning and it arrived just as I sat down in the chair right in front of the tent. It was two full thermos-bottles of both coffee & tea, which was a lovely surprise (other places only serve a cup), and some wonderful biscuits.

What a perfect start to a new day!

ECO-Notes:

As I’m especially curious about the logistics of an eco-friendly camp, which the Mara Bush Camp most certainly is, I got the details and some background information!

All lighting is purely solar powered

The heating of the water for the showers are done with paraffin, not fire wood (saving trees)

There are no permanent structures, the camp can be put down in a few days

All waste is sorted at the camp accordingly to plastic, glass, metal etc. and is transported back to Nairobi on a weekly base. Organic matter is buried in the ground with an active bacteria compound to help with the decompose process

The camp supports a local school nearby through clients sponsoring children, school fees, uniforms & gifts for them

Supporting the Maasai Community through employment, through bed night fees & camp site fees

AC power for recharging cell phones, camera batteries and computers is provided at night in the lounge tent through a generator (very quiet I might add)